under no circumstances
Not at all
Under no circumstances is an emphatic way of saying never or absolutely not.
It strengthens a prohibition or refusal beyond simple negation: Under no circumstances should you open that door.
The phrase often appears inverted for emphasis: Under no circumstances are visitors permitted in the control room.
Sometimes shortened to under no circumstances whatsoever for additional force.
- absolutely notEmphatic total rejection
- no wayEmphatic denial
- neverAt no point
- by no meansExpression of emphatic denial
- not in a million yearsEmphatic refusal of possibility
not at all · not on your life · when pigs fly · fat chance · impossible · not a chance · over my dead body · categorical · at no time · unthinkable · ruled out · unimaginable · criminalized · unless · forbidden · prohibited · dead set against · only if
under no circumstancesby all means
Emphatic affirmative response
without fail · absolutely · no matter what · come what may · at all costs
under no circumstancesalways
At all times
invariably · without exception · sometimes · occasionally · maybe
under, underneath, undertaking, undertake, circumstance, circumstances, undertaken, undertakes